Train dispatcher signal system



Nov. 16, 1943. I e. KINER TRAIN DISPATCHER SIGNAL SYSTEM Filed March 19, 1941 Patented Nov. 16, 1943 v l 2,334,333]; jj

CHER SIGNAL SYSTEM V Glenn Kiner, Markham; llllaassignor to Kellogg v Switchboard and Supply Company," Qhicago,

IlL, a corporationoflllinois I, Application Marchltl, 1941,

stola ms', (c1. iii-e53)" This invention relates to a signaling system; being concerned more particularly with a signal ing system suitable for use by a dispatcher who, controls the disposition of incoming vehicles;

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved signaling sys tem controlled by a dispatcher to display signals indicative of the disposition to be made o ivehicles incoming to a station or terminal.

A further object is theprovision 'of' 'dditional signal equipment which displays. a signal, readily discerniblefrom a distance by the'operatorf of an approaching vehicle, indicating whether or not a specific signal'is displayed'indicating the disposition of an incoming vehicle. v c, A furtherobject is a p v o f means within a signaling system (particularly ,usefulwhen the dispatcher stationis either remote' f rom,'or'ot her'wise out of sight of, the pathftakenby the incoming Vehicles) enabling the operator orattendant of an incoming vehicle to signal the dispatcherthat the vehicle has arrived-thus informingthe dispatcher that he may reset the signals to indicate the disposition to be made of the next incoming vehi'clelf "I a I i It is a further object of the invention to exercise all of the controls incident to thelsetting and effacing of the signals, both for the opera-@- tors or attendants of the vehiclsand forth dispatcher, over a single controlcircuit. l

Although theinvention herein disclosed is suitable for use in signalingv the disposition of a wide variety of incoming vehicles (passenger cars incoming to a storage garage, trucks incoming to a freight terminal, passenger trains arriving at a railway station, etc) and maybe used to advantage in, other situations, th illustrated embodiment of the invention ;is particularly ap-v plicable to signaling to the engineer and :brake men of freight trains arriving successively at a terminal the particular siding or switch track that each such incoming train isto occupy.

A feature of the invention is that a'singlewire, ground-return circuit is provided between a dispatcher station and a remotely located sig nal station, the latter being located" adjacent the incoming railway line, preferably a sufilcient dis; tance in advance of the location ofv the switch tracks that the engineer and brakemen'of'the V arriving freight trains ,are informed of the dis; positionto be made of the respective trains before the terminal or switchyard is reached. v

A further feature of the arrangementfis that the dispatcher assigns the'sidings bydialing the description progresses;

serial Nassmvc the corresponding number ona simple telephone typeof calling deviceb It"'is-a 'further feature of the arrangement that the" 'dispatchers' control circuit is prepared for thief-reception of signals from the calling-device responsive to the turning of theedial thereof from its normal position incident to the operation thereof; I

further feature or thearrangement is that the simple act of operating a push button on the part of one of the brakeinen' of an arriving trainresets the signal equipment to normal posi tion and" signals thedispatcher"that the train to which he has assigned a siding' has arrived;

"The foregoing and other-objects and features of the invention will "become more apparent as In the accompanyingdrawing; M arrangement of Fig. illustratesthe circuit the'sigrial systemiand" 1 l Fig. 2 illustrates alamp'pa'nel containing the designatinglamp signals. 1

Referring to Fig. 2, there" is shown a lamp parieljistructu're LP having ten compartments 1! for i the signal lamps: DL -"JP to DL|iJ, respectively, and two larger compartments 12 for the signal lamps CA andWS'. The cover 12 may have windows I to lflvof suitable translucent material, with the numbers I to I0 thereon of sufficient size to permitthe'same to be clearly legible from an ap'proachingtrain; The portion of the coverfor compartments 12'has lenses CA1; and WS', preferably green and-red, respectively, of" sufiicientsize to 'bevisiblefroma distance along the track.

-Referring now to Fig. l, there is,illustrated in the upper left hand corner a dispatcher signal control circuit D0,-compris ing a rotatable, telephonetypeof calling deviceyClla mechanical signal MS of any suitable type,a;dispatchers f-brea lc lrey DK, andza gdispatchers signal con trol relay Dfi which, controls the operation of the mechanicalsignal MS. I j -flliqsignal equipme tSE, remote from the dispatchers' station, includesdesignating lamp signals DL-l to' D LI0,Qand theclear-signal and warning signal lamps, CA and WS, respectively, Equipment SE also includes the illustrated relay equipment, and-the interrupter or "clear-out" key SK,

i The apparatusrfor controlling the operation at the designating, lamp signals is controlled over signal 'line fl'fand it includes: an impulse relay IR. actuated by the pulse interruptions from the calling" device at the dispatchers' station and in combination with a control relay CR elfects alternate operations of the odd and "even relays OD and EV as the relay IR is successively oleenergized and energized a predetermined number of times to successively operate the counting relays CO| to CO-Ifl of the counting relay chain and in combination with a signal-control relay LS and clear-.signal-control relay CC, controls thelighting ,of-a selected one of the designating lamp signals DL'i, DL2, etc., at the termination of the impulse interruptions from the calling device at the dispatchers station DO. The clear-signal-control relay CCi and the clear-line signal relay CL controlthe operation of the clear-signal lamp CA, visible from afar, to indicate to the engineer of'the incoming train thatione of the lamps DL| to DL-lfl is lighted to designate a vacant siding. A key Klispro vided for testing the associated designating lamp signals.

:Let it be assumed that the dispatcher at. the dispatchers station DO desires to assign vacant tracksiding No.4 to the :next trainr-to arrive .at the switchyardr The, calling. device CD at the dispatcherfs; station, isj'operatedin accordance with the digit 4 toproduceaseries of four interruptions of impulse springs IS.

The rotation of the calling device CD from its normal position permits theoff-normal, or shunt,

lish aground-return energizing circuit :for the impulse relay IRof the-distant signal equipment SE. in series-with ,jrelay'DS at the dispatchers Statian,1330i This ecireuit is traced from battery through the relay-"32R, conductor 2, closed contact 3 of the Pswitchmans interrupterkey SK, conductor 4, the winding of the dispatchers Sig:-

,nal-control relay 138, the normally closed im- The first interruptionofthe impulsesprings IS, :as therotatied member of the calling device CD returns toward normal position, opens the circuit'of relays IR" and DS; Relay IR promptly restores, 'but'rel'ay- DS, being slow to release,

remains operated throughout the entire series of rapid interruptions Of the impulse springsIS. The front contact B ot relay IR opens the en clear-signal-closing relay CL which is not com-' pleted until the end of the series of impulses.

Also, upon the first momentary restoration of relay IR, the back contact 6 of the deenergized relay IR closes a circuit for the counting relay 00-! of the counting relay chain, from battery throughthe series of closed contacts of the counting relays COI0 to (JO- 2, through the I winding Of-relayCO-l, back'contact l3 of the odd impulse relay OD, conductors l4 and I5, front contact 8 of relay CR, to ground at the back contact 6 of relay IR. Relay COI is operated over-this circuit, and, at contact I9, closes a locking circuit for itself in series with relay GD, independent of, back contact 6 of relay IR. g Relay-OD, however, does not operate during the "'impulse'forit is shunted by the initial circuit At the end of the first interruption, relay, IR

reoperates; opening the initial energizing circuit vof the counting relay COI. -Relay CO-l remainsoperated; and relay OD now. operates inethe tollowing locking circuit: from battery 'throughthe series back contacts of relays C0l 0,-

ductors lliand J1, the winding of relay OD, conduct0r1'l'8,ffront contact .19 of relay CO-I, conductors .20 and 2|, to ground at front contact-22 of relay CR.- .At contact I3, relay OD opens a furtherpoint the initial energizing circuit or relay CO-l, and at contact 25 it preparesan energizing circuit, for the next counting relay ergizing circuit for the relay CR, but relay CR,

being slow to release, also remains operated throughout'the series ofimpulses. Upon the first momentary ole'ei iergization of 'relay IR, control relay LS is energized lfrombattery through relay LS, front contact 8 of relay CR, to ground at the back contact 6 of relay IR. RelayLS thereuponopera'tes, and, being slow to release,

remains operatedthroughout' the series of impulses. Front contact 9 of relay LS closes an' energizing circuit for the clear-signal-control relay CC, from battery through relay. CC, front I contact 9 of relaylfito ground at front contact lfl ofrelayCRr Relay CC operates, and at its front contact. l l,, -.c;loses a locking circuit for itself independent .osE the front contact 9 of relay Relay CC prepares a circuit for the .Thenextrestoration of relay IR closes a circuit for the counting relay CO2, from battery bywaycf resistor 23, conductor 24, front contact 2'5 of relay, OD, conductors 25, and 21, front Contact '28 ,of 'relay CO-'-l, Winding of relay 00+ conductors 2'9 and 30, back contact 3| pf the 'evenfjimpulse relay EV, conductor [5 and frontfconta'ct 8 of relayCR, to ground at the backcontact 6 of relay IR, Relay CO2"is energized overv this circuit to close ajlocking circuit for itself in series with relay EV, which latter relay remains shunted until the impulse subsides. 'Relay CO 2 also open-circuits and restores relflYS'CO-l and ODat contact 35, while at contact 3 2 it connects the upper winding terminalot relay, CO-Z into the battery-supply contact chain. When relay IR reoperates at the end of the second impulse, it opens the initial energizing circuit of relay CO -2, but relay 00-2 remains operated, and relay EV operates over the; following locking circuit: from battery through the-series back contacts of relay 00-! 0,

' C O '8,- etc, the front contact 32 of relay winding of relay CO-2, conductors 29 andtd, Winding of relay EV, conductor 33, front contactf'3'4 of relay CO-Z, and conductors 20 and2i'l, to ground at front contact 22 of relay The next restoration of relay IR closes a circuitforthe counting relay CO3: from battery byway of resistor 23, conductor 24, front. contact --3-'o relay EV, conductor 31, front contact 38: of relayCO-Z, winding ofrelay CO--3, con

ductors 39. and I1, back contact iii of relay OD,

conductors l4 and I5, and the front contact 810i relay-CR, to ground at' the back contact 6 of relay Rhrelay CO--3 operates over this circuit,

to-lock itself in series with relay OD at contact 34 and to cut its Winding into the battery-supply counting chain at contact 40, at the same time opening-contact lz to restore relays CO- -Z and EV. At the end of the third pulse, relay RI is the dispatcher w shes. to recall t a lras s e ment, :t p at on o th -key 1 will. tem

transmitted by the-calling device CO attthe dispatchers station DO. ,The'operation of the apparatus tollght any desired one of these designating signal lamps occurs in the 'manner described. I a v H I 1 I I Theself-restoring, lamp-test, key K, when actuated, closes a circuit for the -designating, ;si .-i nal lamps-DL I, DL-2,- etc. The closing of the make -contact Bilof the key lights,,thle; lamps through the normally closed contacts 81,162, etc. Any lamps failing to light when key K is actuated maybereplaced. i j

1 Having thus described my invention, what-,1 claim-is new-and desire to secure by Unitedfitates- LettersPatent:

L In a, dispatcher signaling system including, a dispatcher station and a vsignalreceiving station having receiving equipment operative to receive and display a signal indicative of any oneof anu-mber :of series ofcurrent-interruptions, a signal circuit extending: between said stations, said circuit being normally closed through a-sourceof signaling current except. for an open point at the dispatcher station, there being a dial type of ical-ling device or signal-circuit interrupter; at said dispatcher station, means including normally open oiT-normalcontacts at said calling device for closing said open point when the dial oiithe calling device is rotated pursuant to {the trans mission of a series of momentary, interruption signals to the receiving station, means in said receiving equipment responsive to such closure for preparing to receive and display a signal responsive to the series'of circuit interruptions that is to follow,- means comprising a relay in the signal line having self locking contacts in shunt" of said ofi-normal contacts for maintaining said circircuitclosed after the calling device'open w H0" I tary interruptionslgnals to the rece ving station,

cuit closed after the off-normal contacts of the calling device open when the dial isreturned to normal position at the end of the series of circuit interruptions, an electromagnetic mechanical display device connected in serieswithsaid self-' locking contacts and operable after ,the calling device dial is returned to normal position to indicate thereafter that a series of interruption sig nals has been transmitted, and two self-restoring break keys located at said stations, respectively,

said self-locking relay restoring responsive to an operation of, either of said keys to unlock itself to thereby maintain the signal circuit open until the dispatcher again operates the calling device,

said mechanical display'device thereupon restoring to indicate that the signal system has been cleared of the last transmitted signal, the receiving equipment clearing outresponsive torthe operation of either said keyto efface thedisplayed signal and to prepare to receive a furtherseries of interruption signals. I p q 2. In a dispatcher signal-ingsystem including a dispatcher station and a signal receiving. station having receiving equipment operativeto, receive and display a signal indicative ofan-y one of a numher ofzseries-of current interruptions, a signal circuit extending between said stations; said circuit being normally closed through a 'tion having receiving aaaaaaa se ment s nalin -current ex ep cran ope v Point at thedispatcher; station; 'there being adia l,

typecicallingdevioeor signal circuit interrupter a said d s a er said receiving equipment responsive to such closure iorpreparing to I eceive and display a signal responsive to the series of circuit interruptions that is to follow, means comprising a relay inthe. signal line having self-locking contacts in shunt of .said oif normal contacts for maintaining said L off-normalcontactscf the I I I I en the dial is returned to normal position at the the receiving equipment clearing out responsive to the signallcircuit being maintained open. i

3. In 'a dispatcher signaling system including adisp'atcher station and a signal receiving sta-V tion' having receiving I equipment operative to receive and display a signal indicative of any one-- of a number of I series of current interruptions, a signal circuit extending between said stations,

said circuit being normally closed through a source of signaling current except foran'o'pen point at thedispatclier station, there being a dial type of calling device. or signal-circuit interrupter at said dispatcher station, means in cluding normally open off-normal contacts at said calling devic forclosingsaid open point when the dial of the callingdevice'is rotated pursuant to the transmission of a series of momenmeans in said receiving equipmentresponsive to to the series relay in the signal line having self-locking contacts in shunt of said ofi-normal contacts for maintaining saidcircuit closed after the ofinormal contacts of the calling device open when i the dial is returned to normal position at the end i of the series'of circuitint'erruptions, and means thereafter effective for temporarily opening the signal circuit at the receiving station, said selflocking relay thereupon restoring to unlock itself and thereby maintain the signal circuitopen until the dispatcher again operates the calling device, the receiving equipment clearing out responsive to the signal circuit being maintained open.

'4. In adis'patcher signaling system including a dispatcher station and a signal receiving stac eive anddisplay a signalindicativecf any one of a number of series of current interruptions, a signal, circuit extendingbetween said stations, said circuit being normally closed through a source of signaling current except for an open pointjat the dispatcher station,there being a dial I type of calling device or signal-circuit interrupter at said dispatcher I I station, means including normally open off-normal contacts at said calling device for closing said open point when the dial of'the calling device is rotated pursuant to the transmissionof a series of momenta'ry mam tion' signals to the receiving "station, means in said're'ceiving equipment responsive to such cl'o sta ien, m a i udi nQ 1 mally openlofE-normal contactsat said calling I said open point when the dial,

series of momentary interrup- II I I I end of the series of circuit interruptions, and means thereafter effective for 201' restoring to unlocl; itself of circuit interequipment operative to rethis circuit to lock again energized to open'the initial energizing circuit'of relay CO'--3, but relay CO'3 remains operated, and relay- OD operates, in'the following locking circuit: 'from -battery through the series backcontacts of relays CO-H), (JO-'9,

. etc., the front contact 40 of relay 3, winding of relay C O,- 3, conductors 39 and I1, winding of 1 -elayOD, conductor 18, front contact '4! of relay CO-3, and conductor 2 I, to ground at front contact 22 of relay CR.

The next and final momentary restorationbf relay IR closes a circuit for the counting relay 00- 1: from battery resistor 23, conductorf24, front contact 25 of relay OD,

21, front contact. 43 of relay CO- 3, winding of relay COll, conductors 44- and 30; backcontact 3] of relay EV, conductor I5, and the frontcontact 8 ofrelay' CR, to, ground at the back contact 6 of relay IR. Relay 00- 3 is energized over itself and to restore relays OD and CO-3 j 1 1 f f At the end ;of'th e fourth pulse interruption, the dial of the calling device to normal position, to open the shunt spring con-j tact SH. ,Spring SI-I removes'the shunt from the" Signal MS now operates.

dispatchers signal I d in the following'locklng circuit of relayDS: from "battery. through relay IR, conductor 2, key'SK,

conductor 4,

elay DS, contacts IS, conductor 45, the winding of the signal MS, and front contact 1 of relay DS', to ground at theclosed contact. 5.

In the equipment SE, relay. IR, upon reoperating at the end of the fourth interruption, inter rupts the initial energizing circuit of relay (30-4, but relay CO-Q remains operated, and relay EV operates, in the following locking circuit: from battery throughthe series back contacts of relays CO-.l0, CO--9, etc., the frontcontact Miof relay CO-4, winding of relay CO-4, conductors M and 33, windingof relay EV, conductor 33, front contact ll of relay CO- -fl, and conductors 2n and 2 I, to ground at the front contact 22 of relay CR.

When relay IR remainsoperated tosig'nalthei,

slow. releasing relay LS end of theimpulse series,

restores; The closingof back contact 9 completes a circuit for the selected designating lamp-signal:

conductors 2 and CD has returned brakeman will be to DL--& from battery, through the lamp DIP-4,

front contact of relay CO-ll, conductor 5|, front contact. 53 of locked relay CC, back contact 9 of relay LS, and conductor 12, to ground at front contact H] of-relay OR. The lamp signal DL-d is lighted and illuminatesthe numeral 4 in the lamp panel box closing of back contact a circuit for the relay CL from the windingof relay CL, conductor 52, front contact ,53 of relay CC, back contact 9 of-relay LS, and conductor 12, toground at front contact ill of relay CR. Relay CL, at its contact 55, ex: tinguishes the warning-signal. lamp WS and lights theclear-signal lamp CA. Lamps WS and CA are preferably powerful lamps, lighted from 9 of relay LS also closes the usual commercial A. C. power source, so as I to be visible for a long way from an incoming train. The lamps WS and CA are preferably of distinctive colors, such as red and green, respectively. .The' lighted lamp CA now gives the LP, shown in Fig. 2. The.

battery through.

'to permit the first brakeman brakemen customarily .employed on a freight partof the'train as it train will be in the fore comes into the vicinity of theterminaL' 'It is also contemplated that the duty of the first alight from the slowly moving train, as it passesthe signaling station, to acknowledge the signal to the dispatcher to inform him of the arrival of the train, while'the, contemplated duty of the second brakeman is to alight when the slowly moving train' ap-' proaches the switch leading to the signaled siding and-proceed ahead of the" train to operate the switch. It will be obvious; of course, that these specific arrangements may be altered where the circumstances are somewhat different and that the above contemplated arrangements are set forth for illustrative purposes only.

Assume now that a freight train approaches the signal station SE. While the trainis' still some distance away, the engineer and the brak'emen may observe the green-light signal given by the lighted lamp CA" and displayed through the green lens CA (Fig. 2). Because the signal lamp CA (Fig. l), is a comparatively powerful lamp, shining through the comparatively large lens CA (Fig. 2), the green signal is visible over "a much greater distance than are the track signals l to Hi (Fig. 2), lighted respectively by la'mps DL-l to DL-IO. When the train closely approaches the signaling station, the engineer and the brakemen may perceive which of the numbers 1 to 10 of Fig. 2, is lighted, N0. 4 in the present example.

After proceeding slowly past the signal station to alight, the train may proceed to the designated No. 4 siding in the usual manner. i

The brakeman left atthe signaling station may now actuate the self-restoring signaling key SK to temporarily open its contacts 3 to signal the dispatcher that the train which track 4 was assigned'has now arrived and is proceeding to the assigned rack.

- When the signaling key or push button SK, Fig. 1, is actuated as above noted, the series circuit through relays IR and DSand dispatchers signal MS is interrupted. Signal MS restores to notify the dispatcher that the train for track No. 4

has arrived and. that another track signal can be set up for the next train to arrive. I

-Relay DS, upon restoring, disconnects signal MS to open-circuit the signal line 4 at another point, thus preventing a resumption of current flow over this line responsive to the release of key SK by the switchman.

In the signal station SE, the restoration of relay IR, and the opening of its front contact 6 allows relay CR to restore. Front contact 22 removes ground from conductor 2| to allow any operated ones of relays EV, 0D and COI to CO-Hl to restore. Contact 8 opens the impulse circuit, and contact l0 open-circuits relays CC and. CL. .Relay CL restores, eifacing the green clear signal CA, and lighting the red warning signal WS.

In the event that another incomingtrain new approaches, the engineer thereof is Warned by the red light through lens WS, Fig. 2, that he must wait for a s iding assignment number. Ordinarily, however, the dispatcher will have reoper ated the signal equipment to assign a new siding or track by the time the next train arrives.

sure for preparing to receive and display a signal responsive to the series of circuit interruptions that is to follow, means comprising a relay in the signal line having self-locking contacts in shunt of said. oiT-normal contacts for maintaining said circuit closed after the oil-normal contacts ofthe calling device open when the dial is returned to normal position at the end of the series of circuit interruptions, means thereafter effective for temporarily opening the signal circuit, said selflocking relay thereupon restoring to unlock itself and thereby maintain the signal circuit open until the dispatcher again operates the calling device, the receiving equipment clearing out responsive to the signal circuit being maintained open, and a signal at the dispatcher station for displaying an indication depending upon whether the signal circuit is open or closed.

5. In a signaling system for use in connection with a terminal having separate receiving locations for incoming vehicles, specific signal display means located along the path of vehicles incoming to the terminal, a dispatcher station remote from said display means, control means associated with the display means and operable from the dispatcher station to cause said display means to display successive specific signals indicative respectively of the receiving locations to which successive incoming vehicles are to proceed, general display means located in association with the first-named display means and comprising a warning-signal device and a clear-signal device, means normally effective for causing said Warning-signal device to display a distinctive warning signal indicating that no receiving location has been assigned to the next incoming vehicle, and means responsive to the control exercised from the dispatcher station in causing any of said specific signals to be displayed for erasing said warning signal and causing said clear-signal device to display a distinctive clear signal indicating thatthe first-named display means is then dis playing a receiving-location signal.

GLENN KINER. 

